Quiz nights, bridge moving online
When lockdown struck and Adrian Elmoos could no longer run his regular quiz night, he really started to miss it.
But when his wife, Shona Smith, suggested running their first Facebook live quizzes, Elmoos never expected them to be his biggest yet.
The pair, who own Seismic Entertainment, are among the many who are getting creative and moving activities online to keep people social during the coronavirus crisis.
Elmoos and Smith thought an online quiz night would be good – it could entertain those missing their normal night out at Merriland’s Stumble Inn or other pubs in and around New Plymouth.
Elmoos dresses in his most dapper attire and runs the quiz from his smartphone in the comfort of his coastal Taranaki bedroom.
‘‘We really didn’t think it would get much traction,’’ Elmoos said.
‘‘It just went bonkers.’’
Around 45 teams took part on Tuesday night, and 50 the week before, which was more than Elmoos’ record of around 35 at a Child Cancer fundraiser at the Mayfair, in the city centre.
‘‘People just loved not having to go anywhere,’’ he said. ‘‘And my wife and I had a really good time.’’
The pair plan to run it weekly, Elmoos said, and are considering asking teams to pay $10, then donating all the funds to a selected charity.
The New Plymouth Bridge Club has also made a change during the lockdown, starting local online competitions three times a week.
President Lyn Muller said they usually play at the club every day but now that isn’t an option they have started the competitions for members to keep in contact and ‘‘keep the brain going’’.
‘‘People are really enjoying said.
Muller said the club of 300 was like a ‘‘little community’’, so keeping in touch was essential – especially with older members.
And while she admitted not many of it,’’ Muller the folk around 90 were playing online, they were checking in on them.
As for the members taking part in the competitions, there was the option of writing to each other in a side bar while playing.
‘‘And then you ring your partner after and say ‘we could have done that better’.’’
And while it would have to do for now, Muller was missing the real thing.
‘‘It’s still good bridge but it’s nothing like chatting to people.’’